Choosing the tour operator

Whilst searching for a good tour operator for the trip, I knew early on that this was also going to be expensive.  I didn’t mind too much though, as trips to the Galapagos being costly was a good way of minimising the impact of tourism on the unique wildlife and fauna. We came across many companies offering the trip, but although they had the same itinerary,  some were charging a few thousand more for what was an identical itinerary. The main difference what the type/size of boat, and the length of the sail around the islands. There were two options a 3/4 and a 7/8 day boat tour. Straight away without hesitation we went for the 7/8 day tour.  Were we going all that way just for a few days ? …that idea didn’t fly with me. If I was going to be in the most unique place on the planet, I was going to maximise my time there not just for my photography but also to have some time to appreciate what it meant to be in the Enchanted Isles.

When it comes to travel, people have various levels of comfort. Some like to travel in style and have all the creature comforts, while others are happy travelling to their chosen destination by whatever means necessary, so long as they get there. That’s the way it is now,  choice at all levels, the decision is up to the consumer. 
 

Ok, back to choosing the tour operator. To cut this story short we went with Llama Travel, a company which we had used previously for our visit to Peru & the Inca Trail.. Llama Travel are great (just to add I am not being paid by Llama Travel for talking them up).  From start to finish, they take care of everything.  They have representatives waiting for you at the airport to take you to your hotel, give your tour details, explain how everything is going to work etc.  To top it off, their price was also amazing. They offer like for like tours in South America at a price that makes other tour operators look like they’re majorly overcharging. For example when we went to Peru, another company was charging an extra £1200 for essentially the same tour, even staying in the same hotels! So it’s best to always shop around. For this trip Llama was charging £1000 less than rival tour operators. It isn’t about going for the cheapest but rather the fairest price for what you want, not just for you but also the community you visit.

With the deposit paid and confirmed,  the trip would take place 6 months later, I would embark on an adventure that would forever change me and my outlook on this planet.

Check out Llama Travel for amazing trips in South America www.llamatravel.com